Designing the Highway

By: Ron de Guzman

Design Speed

Design speed
Design speed is defined by the AASHTO as...the
maximum safe speed that can be maintained
over a specified section of highway when
conditions are so favorable that the design
features of the highway govern.
Design speed is a selected speed used to determine
the various geometric features of the roadway. The
assumed design speed should be a logical one with
respect to the topography, anticipated operating
speed, the adjacent land use, and the functional
classification of the highway.

Factors that influence Design Speed

The functional classification of the highway
The character of the terrain
The density and character of adjacent land uses
The traffic volumes expected to use the highway
The economic and environmental considerations.

Design Speed
Typically, an arterial highway warrants a higher
design speed than a local road; a highway located in
level terrain warrants a higher design speed than one
in mountainous terrain; a highway in a rural area
warrants a higher design speed than one in an urban
area; and a high volume highway warrants a higher
designspeedthan one carrying low traffic volumes.

Types of Roadway
Freeway
Arterial
Collector
Local

Freeway
This is a divided major roadway with full
control of access and with no crossings at grade. This
definition applies to toll as well as non-toll roads.

Arterial
Anarterial road, orarterial thoroughfare,
is a high-capacity urbanroad. The primary function of
an arterial road is to deliver traffic fromcollector
roadstofreeways, and between urban centers at the
highestlevel of servicepossible.

Collector
Acollector roadordistributor roadis a low
to moderate-capacityroadwhich serves to move
traffic from localstreetstoarterial roads. Unlike
arterials, collectors are also designed to provide
access to residential properties.

Ranges for Design Speed

Type
of
Road
way
F
R
E
E
W
A
Y

Rural

Urban

Terrain US
(mi/h)

Metric
(km/h)

US
(mi/h)

Metric
(km/h)

LEVEL

70

110

50min

80min

ROLLING

70

110

50min

80min

MOUNTAINOU
S

50-60

80-110 50min

80min

Ranges for Design Speed

Type
of
Road
way
A
R
T
E
R
I
A
L

Rural

Urban

US
Terrain (mi/h)

Metric
(km/h)

US
(mi/h)

Metric
(km/h)

LEVEL

60-75

100120

30-60

50-100

ROLLING

50-60

80-100 30-60

50-100

MOUNTAINOU
S

40-50

60-80

50-100

30-60

Ranges for Design Speed

Type
of
Road
way
C
O
L
L
E
C
T
O
R

Rural

Urban

US
Terrain (mi/h)

Metric
(km/h)

US
(mi/h)

Metric
(km/h)

LEVEL

40-60

60-100 30+

50+

ROLLING

30-50

50-80

30+

50+

MOUNTAINOU
S

20-40

30-60

30+

50+

Ranges for Design Speed

Type
of
Road
way
L

Rural

Urban

US
Terrain (mi/h)

Metric
(km/h)

US
(mi/h)

Metric
(km/h)

LEVEL

30-50

50-80

20-30

30-50

ROLLING

20-40

30-60

20-30

30-50

MOUNTAINOU
S

20-30

30-50

20-30

30-50

O
C
A
L

Cross Section of a
Typical Highway

Cross-section of Typical Highway

The cross section of a road includes some or all of the
following elements:
Traveled way(the portion of the roadway provided for
the movement of vehicles, exclusive of shoulders)
Roadway(the portion of a highway, including shoulders,
provided for vehicular use)
Medianarea (the physical or painted separation provided
on divided highways between two adjacent roadways)
Bicycle and pedestrian facilities
Utility and landscape areas
Drainage channels and side slopes
Clear zone width(i.e., the distance from the edge of the
traveled way to either a fixed obstacle or nontraversable
slope)

Cross-section ELEMENTS
Travel Lanes
The number of lanes needed for a facility is
usually determined during the concept stage of
project development. It is usually the number of lanes
necessary to accommodate the expected traffic
volumes at a level of service determined to be
appropriate for the facility.

Cross-section ELEMENTS
Lane Width
The width of travel lanes is limited by the
physical dimensions of automobiles and trucks to a
range between 2.7 and 3.6 m (9 and 12 ft). Generally,
as the design speed of a highway increases, so must
the lane width to allow for the lateral movement of
vehicles within the lane.

Cross-section ELEMENTS
Lane Width
Although lane widths of 3.6 m are
desirable on both rural and urban facilities,
there are circumstances that necessitate the
use of lanes less than 3.6 m wide. In urban
areas
where
rightofway
and
existing
development become stringent controls, the
use of 3.3 m lanes is acceptable. Lanes 3.0 m
wide are acceptable on low speed facilities.
Lanes 2.7 m wide are appropriate on low
volume roads in rural and residential areas.

Cross-section ELEMENTS
Medians

An important consideration in the design of

any multilane highway is whether to provide a median
and, if one is provided, what the dimensions should
be. The primary functions of highway medians are to:

Cross-section ELEMENTS
Separate opposing traffic flows
Provide a recovery area for out of control vehicles
Allow space for speed changes and left turning and
U
turning vehicles
Minimize headlight glare
Provide width for future lanes (particularly in
suburban
areas)

Cross-section ELEMENTS
Provide a space for landscape planting that is in
keeping with safety needs and improves the
aesthetics of the facility
Provide a space for barriers.

Cross-section ELEMENTS
Clear Zones
An important consideration in defining the
appropriate cross section for a particular highway
facility is the width of the clear zone.
"...the
unobstructed,
relatively
flat
area
provided beyond the edge of the traveled way
for the recovery of errant vehicles."

Cross-section ELEMENTS
Curbs
Used primarily in urban and suburban environments,
curbs can serve some or all of the following functions:
Drainage control
Roadway edge delineation
Right of way reduction
Aesthetics
Delineation of pedestrian walkways
Reduction of maintenance operations
Assistance in roadside development.

Cross-section ELEMENTS
There are basically two types of curbs: barrier and
mountable. Flexibility in the use of either type is a
handy tool for a highway designer when defining the
cross section of an improvement project. Barriertype
curbs are not, however, recommended for projects
with design speeds above 65 km/h (40 mph).
Curbs can be constructed from a variety of materials,
including concrete, asphalt, and cut stone. Figure 6.3
illustrates a variety of commonly used barrier and
mountable curbs.

Cross-section ELEMENTS

Cross-section ELEMENTS
There are basically two types of curbs: barrier and
mountable. Flexibility in the use of either type is a
handy tool for a highway designer when defining the
cross section of an improvement project. Barriertype
curbs are not, however, recommended for projects
with design speeds above 65 km/h (40 mph).
Curbs can be constructed from a variety of materials,
including concrete, asphalt, and cut stone. Figure 6.3
illustrates a variety of commonly used barrier and
mountable curbs.

Typical Cross Section of Highways

Typical Cross Section of Highways

Typical Cross Section of Highways

Typical Cross Section of Highways

Typical Cross Section of Highways

Typical Cross Section of Highways

Road Shoulder

Road Shoulder
Shoulder
is
a
reserved
area
by
thevergeof
aroadormotorway. Generally it is kept clear of motor
vehicle traffic.
Shoulder widths typically vary from as little as
0.6 m (2 ft) on minor rural roads, where there is no
surfacing, to about 3.6 m (12 ft) on major highways,
where the entire shoulder may be stabilized or paved.

Road Shoulder
Road shoulder or verge is defined as that
portion of the road-way between the edge of the
traffic lane and the edge of the ditch, gutters, curb or
side slope. AASHTO requires that its usable pavement
width shall be strong enough to support a vehicle.

Road Shoulder
The importance of road shoulders
1. Road shoulder serves as a place for vehicles to
stop when disabled, or for some other purposes.
Road shoulder considerably reduces road accidents.
2. The road capacity is decreased and accident
opportunity increases if the shoulder is too narrow or
omitted in the design.
3. Shoulder should be continuous along the full
length of the roadway. It also add structural strength
to the road pavement.
4. Shoulder increases the horizontal sight distance on
curves. It reduces accident potential when vehicle
stop during emergencies.

Road Shoulder
WIDTH OF ROADWAY FOR UNDIVIDED HIGHWAY
Total Travel
way
14.00 m.

Shoulder
Width
3.25

Roadway
Width
20.50

Speed of
Reference
100-80-60-40

12.00 m.

3.25

18.50

60-40

7.00 m.

2.75

12.50

100-80-60-40

7.00 m.

2.00

11.00

80-60-40

6.70 m.

2.75

12.20

100-80-60-40

6.70 m.

2.00

10.70

80-60-40

6.00 m.

2.75

11.50

80-60-40

6.00 m.

1.50

9.00

80-60-40

Cut and Fill Slope

Cut and Fill Slope

Cut slopes
Are rarely created greater than a slope of two
to one (horizontal to vertical dimensions).Cut
sections of roadway or rail are characterized by the
roadway being lower in elevation than the
surrounding terrain. From an operational standpoint
there are unique environmental effects associated
with cut sections of roadway. For example, air
pollutants can concentrate in the 'valleys' created by
the cut section. Conversely,noise pollutionis
mitigated by cut sections since an effective blockage
of line of sight sound propagation is created by the
depressed roadway design.

Cut and Fill Slope

Fill
sections manifest as elevated sections of a
roadway or track bed. Environmental effects of fill
sections are typically favorable with respect to air
pollution dispersal, but in the matter ofsound
propagation, exposure of nearby residents is generally
increased, sincesound wallsand other forms of sound
path blockage are less effective in this geometry.
There are a variety of reasons for creating fills,
among them reduction ofgradealong a route or
elevation of the route above water, swampy ground, or
areas where snow drifts frequently collect. Fills can also
be used to cover tree stumps, rocks, or unstable soil, in
which case material with a higher bearing capacity is
placed on top of the obstacle in order to carry the weight
of the roadway or railway and reduce differential
settlement.